Government troops take their positions as about 200 Muslim rebels, enraged by a broken peace deal with the Philippine government, held scores of hostages as human shields Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

(Newser)
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The Philippine military is locked in a tense standoff with an Islamic militant group that the military says is holding hundreds of people hostage as human shields. The drama began yesterday when about 300 Moro National Liberation Front gunmen landed boats on the coastal city of Zamboanga, intent on marching to city hall, raising their flag, and declaring an independent state. That started a battle on land and sea between the military and the rebels, with a naval blockade fending off rebel reinforcements, Reuters reports.

A MNLF spokesman described the turmoil as government forces attacking a peaceful march through the city. Houses were set on fire, and firefighters were unable to reach them thanks to sniper fire. The predominantly Christian port city is home to 800,000 people, and about 500 elite US anti-terrorism troops. Philippine authorities say around 200 people are trapped in four militant-occupied neighborhoods. "It doesn't appear that they are being treated as hostages, because they are free to move about," the interior minister tells the New York Times.

The warrior Muslims were taking over the Philippines when Magellan and the Spanish found the islands on the ship's first trip round the world. The Spanish stopped the fanatical Muslims then. One hopes the Phil. Govt. will crush the rebels today. And the liberal media condemn the Buddhists when they fight against the Muslim invasion in Thailand and Burma. The Muslims enslave and kill Christians in Sudan, Nigeria, and other parts of Africa. Meanwhile, a crazed Obama-appointed judge decreed that Abercombie must not fire a hajib wearing Muslim. Another outrage from Barack Hussein Obama and his pro-Islamic, pro-Muslim Brotherhood administration. Remember in Mecca, there are no synagogues, no churches, no Jews, no Christians allowed in the city. That is the Muslim ideal. That is where they face to pray. Theirs is a bigoted, hateful religion. It has given us Army Capt. Hasan, ( who murdered fellow American soldiers) and the illegal aliens who killed thousands of Americans in 9/11. Islam is the enemy of all civilization; the enemy of all who reject their madness, the enemy of America.

toomanycars

Sep 10, 2013 4:57 PM CDT

It's always about Muslims taking over with guns and bloodshed. For anybody posting under this article , what Christian group out there is slaughtering others and trying to take over converting everybody to their faith like the Muslims are doing?? IT IS ALWAYS THE MUSLIMS. LIKE A CANCER, YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED OR DIE.